The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-28
BRooKHAvEN, MISS, Aug, Is. 1887.

Hon. j Jefferson DavIs-Dear Sir Your
| letter of the 18th inst. has been received
| with an enclosed printed copy of your let
ter to Ex-Governor Lubbock, Of Texas.
You ask me to indicate the passages in
that letter which to my mind justify the
criticism | am reported to have made in a
public address, portion of which was
published in the Times-Democrat. Before
doing SO j will correct a eight error in
your letter just received. You say the
| letter of Ex-Governor Lubbock SIS re-
ferred to as being in favor of the open sa-
loon and against moral reform" What
did cay was that "the name of the most
distinguished Mississippian," etc., was so
used. And was it not? Mr.. Reagan said
in reply to your letter: But the tails
manic power of your great name is being
paraded against the prohibitionists," etc.
And again "Your letter is being read
and applauded by every saloon-keepel and
dram -drinker in Texas to-day" And ex-
| tracts of similar purport might be quoted
from Texas newspapers and private letters,
to say nothing of the religious and much
of the secular press of the entire coun-
try. That your honored name was
so used, / repeat, is to me the
most painful fact connected with that
memorable contest. You refer to my say
ing you were "Detrayed into writing a
line against the reform of the age" L con-
slider the movement against the liquor
traffic with all its attendant crime, wretch.
edpess and sorrow as as 'the reform Of
the age" AS It's avowed purpose is to
close liquor saloons, thereby removing
temptation from the young especially, and
aiding in correcting the drinking habits
of society, the movement is denominated
Il.
whatever may be its success. On this ac-
count I called it ''the reform of the age"
In the Ex-Governor Lubbock letter you
characterize it as "the popularism of the
day. And believing, as l do, that most
of the drunkenness, Indebtedness, shame,
sorrow and crime OF the day are Charge
able to the liquor traffic, l deem it no ex-
travagance to say that a movement de-
signed to suppress it is "the reform of the
age" All other public measures in my
Judgment retire into insignifcance before
its lofty purposes and promised benedic-
tions. As your letter was an argument
against the constitutional amendment pro-
hibiting the manufacture and sale of in
toxicating liquors, and therefore, to my
mind, against "the reform of the age /
need not refer to specific passages in justi-
fication of the reported criticism.
You refer to my saying that your words
had become the shibboleth of the saloons
The Hon. John III. Reagan use language
nearly as strong. when he said: sYour let
ter is being read and applauded by every
saloon-keeper and drap1-drinker to-day" I
will not reproduce here extracts from
whisky newspapers / have seen, nor the
notices ON placards, transparencies and
banners at anti prohibition meetings in
Texas. They would be painful both to
you and myself, but would abundantly JUS
tify the criticism above. Your words
about destroying personal liberty and
moral responsibility and ''this effort to
control morals by legislation" are ON the
lips of every saloon-keeper. And your
Characterization of local prohibition as
"the wooden horse 10 which disguised
enemy to state sovereignty. as the guard
ian Of individual liberty, was introduced. y
has become pet phrase with the advocates
and frequenters of the saloon / do not
for moment entertain the thought that
you are an enemy to temperance, morality
and true religion. Your long, noble life
of stainless integrity and marked purity
would resent such suggestion. lie has
been pride of mine TO refer to your
checkered public career as conspicuously
fee from habits that have Swallowed the
of some of Americas greatest
statesmen But the effect of your letter
has been hostile to the temperance reform
90 dear to the hearts OF multiplied thou
sands of the truest Christian men and wo-
men Of our country. Nor do | impesch
your honesty of conviction on the princi-
pies involved In this contest. Nor were
your views san unwarrantable intrusion
Believing that the amendment was wrong
n \. r.